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Big finish
French Open final should help men's tennis
Posted: Tuesday June 13, 2000 05:05 PM
By Lee Geeker, CNNSI.com
Sunday's final may have been just what men's tennis needed. After all the controversy surrounding the new points system, the top two players in this years rankings met on the court to play for the biggest title of the year so far. Not only did Magnus Norman and Gustavo Kuerten prove that they are the best two players in men's tennis right now (at least on clay), but they also put on just the sort of entertaining match the ATP has been craving. Kuerten has all the tools to be tennis' next star. He's colorful, shows his emotions on the court, and has an all-around game that can work on all surfaces (just look at his results at the Ericsson Open this year for proof). Hopefully, these two will be able to continue their impressive play on the grass at Wimbledon and on into the U.S. hardcourt season. With men's tennis desperately in need of new stars, the 24-year-old Norman and the 23-year-old Kuerten could be the start of the next wave of great players in men's tennis. For the sake of the game, let's certainly hope that's the case.
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| Fantastic French |
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French fans had to be happy about the performance of their country's players at Roland Garros. Mary Pierce's win was certainly one for the ages, but the French also had winners in both the boys' and girls' junior competitions in Paul-Henri Mathieu and Virginie Razzano, respectively. Razzano also took qualified for the main competition, where she advanced to the third round before falling to Pierce. With such success, the French certainly will have the chance to earn more titles in the coming years at their home tournament. |
| The gossip column |
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Maybe men's tennis is taking a cue from the women, gaining notoriety for what's happening off the court. One of the biggest stories of the last few days was the rumors of Magnus Norman and Martina Hingis as tennis' new star couple. Hingis was in the stands for the men's final on Sunday, rooting for the Swede, and it didn't go unnoticed. When asked about their relationship, all Norman would say was that Hingis was a "very good friend." Whatever it is, the normally boorish Norman is suddenly a hot topic. |
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| ACE Mary Pierce Finally winning over the fans in France, Pierce completed a magnificent two weeks with her second Grand Slam title, and looks like she could present a challenge at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open as well. |
| ACE Gustavo Kuerten Here's hoping that the back problems are gone, because he's on the verge of becoming the biggest star in men's tennis. |
| DOUBLE FAULT US television coverage In the internet age, there's no reason to show matches tape delayed, especially NBC's decision to go with just a one-hour delay for the men's final. There couldn't have been that many more viewers at 9 a.m. than at 8:00. |
| ACE Juan Carlos Ferrero The young Spaniard played a terrific tournament, and seems to have a bright future, though with his size, he may be at a disadvantage on grass. |
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| "That's my private life and you guys have to respect that. Obviously she is a very good friend." |
| Magnus Norman, when asked about his relationship with Martina Hingis. |
| "I'll try not to cry. I am very moved. I never thought I would win it. It's my dream that has become reality." |
| Mary Pierce, after becoming the first Frenchwoman in 33 years to win the French Open. |
| "My life is like a festival everyday." |
| Marat Safin, on living in Spain. |
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| She's one of the biggest stars in tennis, and makes millions in endorsements, yet 18-year-old Anna Kournikova has never won a WTA Tour singles title, earning her plenty of criticism. Week at a Glance will follow Anna's performance until she finally breaks through with her first tournament win. |
| 2000 stats: 23-13 record, four semifinal appearances in 13 tournaments |
| Kournikova was not in action last week after her early exit from the French Open. She is not playing in this week's event in Birmingham, England, either. |
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| ATP Tour - This week |
| The men are split between the Queen's Club in London, which has Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras in the draw, and the Gerry Weber Open in Halle, Germany, where Yevgeny Kafelnikov is the top seed. |
| ATP Tour - Next week |
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There will be two more tuneups for Wimbledon, the Heineken Trophy in the Netherlands and the Nottingham Open in England.
| WTA Tour - This week |
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The women are also playing on grass, at the DFS Classic in Birmingham, England, as they also look ahead to Wimbledon. There is also a smaller hardcourt tournament, the Tashkent Open, in Uzbekistan.
| WTA Tour - Next week |
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Wimbledon preparations will continue, with warmups in Eastbourne, England, and the Heineken Trophy in the Netherlands. Expect more big names to get some time on the grass, as many are taking this week off after the French Open. | | | Come back every Tuesday afternoon for a new Tennis Week at a Glance.
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